Method and apparatus of music education

Abstract

A computer-aided method of educating a plurality of music students in an ensemble, including: (i) receiving search parameters from a client device for searching a multidimensional database of songs, the multidimensional database of songs being compiled to include dimensions of at least (a) instrument parts which indicate a music component being played by a particular type of instrument, (b) educational concepts present, (c) one or more proficiency levels for each of the instrument parts; (ii) searching the multidimensional database of songs to retrieve one or more songs that match the received search parameters, the one or more songs being songs that match proficiency levels of the plurality of music students in the ensemble; (iii) receiving an indication from the client device of a selected song in the one or more songs; and (iv) providing to the client device method books associated with educational concepts of the selected song.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for generating a curriculum for joint and individual music lessons given to an ensemble of student musicians preparing for a show, the show comprising a group of one or more songs, the system comprising a computer and a multi-dimensional database, the database comprising:
 candidate song records, each candidate song record comprising indicia of a recording artist and a title of the candidate song;   for each candidate song, a plurality of associated part-concept records, each part-concept record comprising an indication of the associated candidate song, a part in the candidate song for a musical instrument, and a musical concept;   for each combination of musical instrument and musical concept, a concept record comprising an indication of a proficiency level and an indication of a method book item; and   for each student musician in the ensemble, an indication of a proficiency level of the student musician,   wherein:   the system selects the group of show songs from among the candidate songs such that each student musician has a part in each show song, the part in the show song having an associated proficiency determined by an associated part-concept record with an associated concept record, the associated proficiency being equal to, or a next increment higher than, the proficiency level of the student musician.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system selects the one or more show songs in accordance with a show theme. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system selects a show song in accordance with one or more student preferences. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system selects a show song in accordance with one or more instructor preferences. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system provides each student musician with an individual learning plan comprising:
 a list of the songs in the show;   one or more parts in each song in the show that are chosen for the student musician; and   for each such part wherein the part has an associated proficiency level that is higher than the proficiency level of the student musician, an indication of one or more selected method book items for one or more concepts associated with the part.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the system further provides each student musician with selected method book items in electronic form. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the system provides interfaces to instructors who give private lessons to the student musicians, and to an ensemble music director who oversees ensemble practices, wherein the interfaces record feedback on the proficiency level of each student musician. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the system adjusts, in accordance with the feedback, the individual learning plan of one or more of the student musicians. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the system adjusts, in accordance with the feedback, the show. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system groups students into ensembles based at least in part instrumentation for the and student proficiency levels. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implement method for generating a curriculum for joint and individual music lessons given to an ensemble of student musicians preparing for a show, the show comprising a group of one or more show songs, the method using a multi-dimensional database, the database comprising:
 candidate song records, each candidate song record comprising indicia of a recording artist and a title of the candidate song;   for each candidate song, a plurality of associated part-concept records, each part-concept record comprising an indication of the associated candidate song, a part in the candidate song for a musical instrument, and a musical concept;   for each combination of musical instrument and musical concept, a concept record comprising an indication of a proficiency level and an indication of a method book item; and   for each student musician in the ensemble, an indication of a proficiency level of the student musician,   the method comprising:   selecting the group of show songs from among the candidate songs such that each student musician has a part in each song, the part in the show song having an associated proficiency determined by an associated part-concept record with an associated concept record, the associated proficiency being equal to, or a next increment higher than, the proficiency level of the student musician; and   compiling, for student musician, an individual learning plan comprising:   a list of the songs in the show;   one or more parts, in each show song, that are chosen for the student musician; and   for each such part wherein the part has an associated proficiency level that is higher than the proficiency level of the student musician, an indication of one or more selected method book items for one or more concepts associated with the part.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing, to each student musician in electronic form, the individual learning plan for the student musician. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing, to each student musician in electronic form, selected method book items. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing interfaces to instructors who give private lessons to the student musicians, and to an ensemble music director who oversees ensemble practices, wherein the interfaces record feedback on the proficiency level of each student musician. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising adjusting, in accordance with the feedback, the individual learning plan of one or more of the student musicians. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising adjusting, in accordance with the feedback, the show. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising selecting the one or more show songs in accordance with a show theme. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising selecting a show song in accordance with one or more student preferences. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising selecting a show song in accordance with one or more instructor preferences. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising grouping students into ensembles based at least in part instrumentation for the and student proficiency levels.